And I remember that Day the Most
by December
Summary: When you lose important people in your life, who do you call? And what do you remember? Rated PG-13 because of the discussion of death and miscarriages. A tribute piece to four amazing people.


Hello everyone, it's me again.   
  
This is probably the darkest fic   
I've ever written. And I can't   
promise that it's good, but it   
is something I felt I had to get   
out. The story is based on the   
song "The Day We Hit the Coast"   
as covered by Emm Gryner on   
her most recent album, Girl Versions.   
I don't own the song, cover or   
original. Nor do I own, Sailor Moon.   
  
I also ask your forgiveness if my   
use of Japanese is incorrect. Bear   
with me, I think the story is worth it.   
  
In loving memory of Jennifer Nicole Parham,   
Leon Brown, Marian Sampson Brown, and   
Senator Emily Couric.   
  
And I'll Remember That Day the Most   
  
Usagi sat down in her room. It   
was just so hard. As she reached to   
take off her earrings, she stopped.   
She couldn't deal with it. Not here, not   
now.   
  
She walked to the phone, picked it   
up, and dialed a familar number. A male   
voice answered.   
  
Usagi took a deep breath and tried   
to keep her voice from shaking. "Mamo-chan,   
can you come get me? I ... just need to get   
away."   
  
*****   
  
As she sat on the beach with Mamoru,   
still in her black dress, Usagi's mind drifted   
to a happier time...   
  
  
"Naru-chan! You have to come! It won't be   
the same unless all fo my friends come." Usagi   
whined to her friend. She was planning a huge   
beach trip for all of her friends and she had   
invited Naru. Naru seemed shocked by the invitation,   
in part because she hadn't really talked to Naru in   
awhile.   
  
"Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?" Naru   
asked.   
  
Usagi looked at her friend. "You're joking,   
right?...Naru-chan, you are my best friend! I   
know I haven't been around as much...but that's   
just more reason for you to come. Unless, of course,   
you want to go the rock exhibit with your boyfriend."   
  
Naru shuttered, "Okay, okay. I'm in."   
  
  
Usagi smiled, thinking about it now. Naru   
did come and they did have fun. Naru laughed at   
Usagi's antics as she took Ami's Physics book and   
order her to have fun. Naru walked on the rocks   
in the water with the group...and managed not   
to get knocked into the water when both Usagi and   
Minako slipped. She even helped little Hotaru   
build a sandcastle.   
  
Usagi's eyes began to tear up. That's   
what made this week so much harder. After   
the trip to the beach, Usagi went on vacation   
with her family. Although she kept in touch with   
the senshi over the vaction, she didn't contact   
Naru, planning to talk to her as soon as she got   
back to Toyko. But when she arrived at Naru's   
after her trip...she found out that Naru had   
died the night before.   
  
Usagi began to cry in earnest now. Mamoru   
pulled her into a hug, doing the only thing he   
knew to do.   
  
*****   
(5 years later)   
  
It was supposed to get easier. At least   
thats what Usagi thought. It never ends and then   
you die. Isn't that what Jen-chan said? Well, it   
wasn't ending.   
  
She and Mamoru has been so happy when they   
found out that she was pregnant. A baby. They were   
supposed to be a family. And, if it was a girl, they   
were going to name her Naru...   
  
But then it happened. Miscarriage. Usagi   
hated that word. It was like it was her fault.   
That she carried the baby wrong. She never even   
got to hold her baby. Her daughter.   
  
Usagi began to cry again. She hated this;   
she hated the tension in the house. She hated   
playing happy for her friends. She hated being told   
"Get over it. Better this than the child die after   
it was born."   
  
Again, Usagi walked to the phone. Again,   
she dialed a familar, but much longer, number. This   
time a female answered groggily.   
  
"I'm sorry to call so late, Jen-chan, but   
I have to talk to someone."   
  
*****   
(12 years later)   
  
Maybe bad things do happen in threes.   
Usagi pondered such thoughts as Mamoru drove   
her to the mountains. When she had begged to   
go hiking this morning, she knew she had   
shocked him. She had been walking around   
in a dpression since their return from the   
United States almost a year ago. But she had   
to go hiking...it was the best memory of Jennifer   
that she had.   
  
About 2 years before, she and Mamoru had   
gone to the US for three weeks. Mamoru had business   
in Virginia, but Usagi went solely to see Jen-chan.   
Jennifer had just be elected to the position   
of state senator. Usagi didn't exactly understand   
what she did, but she knew it was important.   
Jennifer and her husband Leaon had given   
Usagi and Mamoru a place to stay in Richmond and   
had kept the Chibas entertained during their stay.   
  
One Saturday, while they were ther, Jennifer   
came down the stairs and announced. "Okay, everyone   
in jeans and sneakers. We're going hiking."   
  
Usagi stared at her. "But Jen-chan, you hate   
the great outdoors."   
  
Jennifer laughed, "That's usually true, Usa.   
But it's National Trail Day and there's this great   
trail in Charlottesville...come on, it will be   
fun."   
  
Usagi sighed. It had been fun. The running   
from bugs. The first time they got lost. The food. The second   
time they got lost. The leaves in Jennifer's hair.   
Jennifer's reaction upon discovering the leaves in her   
hair. Usagi's eyes watered. That's what made last   
year so hard.   
  
That Friday last year, Usagi had been home.   
She'd actually just walked in the door when the   
phone rang.   
  
"Moshi moshi?"   
  
"May I please speak to Usagi?"   
  
A little startled by the use of English, she replied   
"Speaking."   
  
"Usagi, this is Leon."   
  
Usagi's face lit up. "Leon! What a surprise!   
How's Jen-chan? Is she there?"   
  
There was a pause. Then Leon said, "That's why I'm   
calling... I-" He stopped suddenly. Then he said. "If   
I paid for the airplane tickets, can you and Mamoru   
fly out here tomorrow?"   
  
"Why? What happened?" Usagi was beginning to feel   
uneasy.   
  
Leon began mumble, "How can I say this? Dammit,   
why should I have to say it? I can't-"   
  
"Leon, what happened? Where is Jen-chan?"   
  
A sigh and a ... sob was heard through the   
phone line. Finally, Leon began talking. "It's about   
Jennifer. She was shot and killed as she left captial   
grounds." Leon sighed. "Usagi, I need your help. I   
can't handle this alone. I can barely take care of   
myself, much less little Renee. And I've been fighting   
with the Democrats for the past 2 days. They want her   
body in state at the capital for a day. They want   
to declare a state-wide day of mourning. Usagi, she   
didn't even want people wearing black at her funeral!   
I can't -"   
  
Usagi was in shock. "Jen-chan was...is..."   
That's when she burst into tears. She was crying   
so hard she didn't hear her husband walk in the door,   
nor did she really process that he took the phone   
from her and finished the conversation.   
  
Getting to the US was a blur. Seeing Leon   
so upset, not to mention Jennifer's okaa-san, caused   
Usagi to cry even more. And after that, the depression   
set it.   
  
But today she decided that Naru-chan, chibi-Naru,   
and Jen-chan wouldn't want her to be depressed.   
Although changed, she was bound and determined to be   
the Usagi they knew again. But to do that, she needed   
a road trip.   
  
Usagi smiled as she remembered a song Jennifer   
sang. She said it was a re-make, but she liked this   
version. It was sung by some Canadian...Gryner-san?.   
Usagi could almost hear it...   
  
...And I remember that day the most. The day we hit   
the coast.   
  
- the end -   
  
Yes, the "Jen-chan" in this story is the same   
Jennifer-san from They Know.   
  
Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.   
  
~December~ 


End file.
